Improved shifting-bar for sleighs



A. J..SPENCER. 'Shifiing Bar for Sleighs. I No. 100.206. Patented Fb.-22 I870;

birdied gtatra pa e one,

A. J. SPENCER, or MIDDLETCWN, CONNECTICUT.

Letters Patent No. 100,206, dated February 22, 1870.

IMPROVED SHIITING-BAR FOR SLEIG HS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making paxt of the same.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, A. J. SPENCER, of Middletown,

in the county of Middlesex, and State of Connecticut,

have invented a new improvement in Shifting-Bar for' Sleighs; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and.

which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent in Figure 1, a side view; Figure 2, a top view, with the shafts .as thrown back; and in y Figure 3, a top view, the shafts thrown forward. V This invention relates to 'an improvement in the attachmentof shaft-s to sleighs, the object being to make the connection adjustable, so as to shift the shafts from a central to a side draft, to accommodate the sleigh to running on country or city roads.

It is well known, that in the track beaten by travel in the snow through country roads, the horse stands in line with the-left-hand runner. While this is necessary in country roads, it is not in city or smoothlybeaten' roads; hence, when it is not essential that the shafts be in such position that the horse will travel in the track of therunner, except where the roads require it, it-is desirable that, where the roads will adshaft attached, is drawn out, so that the shaft may be set at the desired point, and secured by a set-screw or other convenient device.

A are the runners, of common construction, upon which is fixed a tubular bar, B, with a rod, 0, fitting into the said tube, entering from the left-hand end, and so as to slide freely within the bar B, and fixed in any desired position by a set-screw, a, or other suitable device.

To the said rod C, one shaft,'D, is-fi xed, and the other shaft, E, fitted to the bar B, so as to slide freely thereon.

The shafts are constructed and joined by the whiffle'tree-bar F, in the usual manner.

As represented in fig. 2, the shafts are in the position that the horse stands centrallyforward of the sleigh. When it is desired that the horse travel in the same track with the Ieft h-and runner, free therod O by loosening the fastening a, and draw the rod 0 out, which will bring the shafts to the desired position, as denoted in broken lines, fig. 2. To return the shafts, reverse the operation; thus, the shafts are made adjustable, if need be, without the occupant getting out of the sleigh.

It is desirable that the horse travel as near the sleigh as possible; therefore, when standing centrally, his hind feet can throw between the runners; hence,

in that positron, the shafts can be short, but when drawn out as denoted in broken lines, thenhis feet would strike the runner; therefore, the shafts for this arrangement, as thus far-described, should be made sufficiently long for the horse to travel when the shafts are set to the left.

To avoid the necessity of making the shafts longer than is required for the central position, I arrange the tubular bar B upon a plate, d, (see fig. 1,) the said plate being pivoted to the runner at 1, so as toperrnit the turning of the plate d. As shown in figs. 1 and 2, the said plate d-is turned to the rear, so that the bar- B lies back of the pivots f,'one of these plates d being arranged upon each runner, asdenoted in fig; 2. I When it is desired to throw the shafts forward,

swing the plates with the bar B around, to bring the said bar front of the pivot f, as denoted in broken lines, fig. 1, and as seen in fig. 3. This will take the horse suificiently far forward to clear the runners, and the-adjustment of the shafts in that position is the same as before described. The plates. 01 are secured in either position by any suitable catch.

- I do not wish to be understood as broadly claiming the arrangement of shafts in sleighs, so as to be adjusted from a central to a left-hand position, as such is not new; but

What I do claim, is

In combination with the tubular bar B and rod 0,

and the shafts arranged thereon, as described, the.

turning plates d, to throw the shafts forward or back in the manner described.

A. J. SPENCER.

Witnesses: I

JOHN H. SHUMWAY, A. J TIBBITS. 

